Saintless

I ran across a diary posted to Daily Kos today about SCHIP, where it talks about the “GOP war against children“.

I posted this comment:

GOP War Against Children?
Ummm, I totally agree with SCHIP, and I think Bush is an ass for vetoing it. Every Republican that voted against it joins Bush in being asses. But I REALLY hate the phrase “war against children”, it’s right up there with the “war on Christmas”. Using that phrase plays right into their hands. Now it’s not an issue of children’s health care, it’s politics. And that phrase is what Faux News would have called it, if the tables were turned.

If Democrats in general choose to play politics in this manner, they’re no better than the Republicans. We have to be the party that’s right, not the party that manages to demonize the other, or we’ll accomplish nothing, and we won’t remain in the majority for long.

Here are the two replies I received:

Baloney–it IS war, stop sugar coating everything
Like it or not, no matter how they cry and scream and howl, the Republicans have declared war on anyone and everyone they’ve declared to be irrelevant to society (which pretty much means everyone but themselves and the deep pockets that are funding them).

Sorry, lying down on the floor acting like a doormat while the Republicans kick our asses isn’t going to cut it for those impressionable votes that we’re after.

Unfortunately
the GOP understands only the language of attacks, character assassination, smear, fear and demonization.
Though I agree we should never stoop to their lowly loser level, we do have to be tough, relentless and unforgiving where the GOP, its ideologies and policies are concerned.

I’m just dumbfounded that these same people who, a year ago, were crying in their beer that the Republicans were playing dirty politics think it’s ok to turn around and do the same thing. I have to say, not all Democrats are doing this, but those that are just piss me off. And beyond that, they won’t accomplish a damn thing with it. In fact, they’ll probably hinder the efforts of the rest of us. No wonder people get burnt out about politics. This is why it took me about 10 years of being an adult to get involved.

And while I’m ranting, this is exactly why I don’t trust Hillary in the White House. To me, she feels like one of “those” sorts of Democrats, and I want someone in there that I can trust to take the high road, and be about more than winning.

Jeff’s latest Nightside debate with Ethan is up. Paul in SLC was among the callers in the second half of the show, and I just loved this quote from him:

“For I was hungry and you fed me, and I was sick and you asked for my insurance card.”

I just have to add “And I was dumb so you gave me a voucher.”

Jeff’s outrage really is cute, so go take a listen.

Representative Pete Stark just said the following on the House floor, and it’s exactly what Republicans who want the war and are against SCHIP make me want to say to them (or, well…yell, really):

First of all, I’m just amazed they can’t figure out, the Republicans are worried we can’t pay for insuring an additional 10 million children. They sure don’t care about finding $200 billion to fight the illegal war in Iraq. Where ya gonna get that money? You going to tell us lies like you’re telling us today? Is that how you’re going to fund the war? You don’t have money to fund the war or children. But you’re going to spend it to blow up innocent people if we can get enough kids to grow old enough for you to send to Iraq to get their heads blown off for the President’s amusement. This bill would provide healthcare for 10 million children and unlike the President’s own kids, these children can’t see a doctor or receive necessary care. [...]

But President Bush’s statements about children’s health shouldn’t be taken any more seriously than his lies about the war in Iraq. The truth is that Bush just likes to blow things up. In Iraq, in the United States and in Congress.

(h/t BarbinMD)